I voted for Kilpatrick, in 2001, because i thought he would clean up the Detroit Police Department, but he has decimated it - with poor selections of police chiefs and their poor selection of police executives. Detroit residents, visitors and police officers lives are more in danger today, than ever before. Detroit is an unsafe city, and there is lawlessness in the streets and corridors of Detroit Public Schools - this is not the path to becoming a great or world class city. I had great hope for Detroit and Kilpatrick - not any more.
I have voted for Ken Cockrel, Jr for City Council. I had great hopes for him to lift up Detroit, but he has not lived up to his potential. Over 8 years ago, he said he favored raising the age limit to 21 from 18 to become a police officer and other changes to raise the hiring standards for the Detroit Police Department. Now, the hiring standards are still too low - for a City griped by crime, and the Department was allowed to violate federal EEOC laws, creating a Department that hired because of race - not qualifications. The Department is understaffed and demoralized, Ken Cockrel would have protested loudly - but his son, says or does nothing.
Chief Ella Bully-Cummings should be fired by the Council.
Ken Cockrel, Jr told me after a meeting in Council chambers that Mike Ilitch, the billionaire owner of the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings - " your boy was right - he (Ilitch) owes the City money, and I will do everything to get it back". Cockrel was talking about the $2 - $12 million dollars that Ilitch has taken for the security and maintenance of historic Detroit Tiger Stadium, since 1999 - and there is little evidence that Ilitch has even bought a can of paint for the stadium. Cockrel called me, protesting an email to the media announcing his statement - but, Cockrel has done nothing to get the money back, maybe if he did, the City would still have more police stations and jail space for prisoners - or even a new police headquarters, or or or even a new jail with medical facilities to stem the lose of millions of dollars in excess prisoner medical costs. Ilitch is the 'emporor' of entertainment in Detroit. Ilitch who gets free police services for games is allowed to make millions without paying the City back, money that it is OWED.
Ken Cockrel, Jr. has the breeding, the education and the potential to be a great Mayor, and hopefully he will recognize that he must be take aggressive action to correct the problems of Detroit and that no one should be granted favors or free passes, just because they do business in Detroit. Kilpatrick has squandered and wasted his potential - Ken Cockrel, Jr. rise up and claim your potential - start today, don't wait for Kilpatrick to dictate your future.
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